Uncontrolled spending by the government
DEAR EDITOR:
At what point will we finally recognize that we are living, not in a den of iniquity, but in a cesspool of iniquity?
We are losing our civic virtues and social cohesion at an alarming rate and it is having a ruinous effect on the fabric of Canada. Laws, that at one time ensured morality, are being abandoned or twisted.
Unelected officials, corrupt bureaucrats and politicians are promoting agendas that are not only self serving but detrimental to the majority of citizens. These people seem to have an arrogant view of their own importance and little consideration for public welfare, intent only on their own immediate advantage.
It is nothing short
Think not?
Let's look at the CBC, a Crown corporation, that has been given $1.3 billion a year of taxpayers money to operate. To keep that in perspective that’s one thousand and three hundred million dollars a year of your money.
At last count there were seven vice presidents, 10 directors general and five directors of finance and none of them are required to divulge the financial statements of the corporation to the government.
Yet they continue to get this sum of money yearly which makes me inclined to believe their reporting is a little more than compromised. of colossal egotism.
Or how about Volkswagen getting $13 billion from the Canadian government to build a $7 billion electric vehicle battery plant with the promise of creating 3,000 jobs? By my calculation that works out to $4 million per employee. Hmm. This money would cover the tax bill for 67,000 Canadians for 10 years. Of note, this Liberal government has spent more than all previous governments combined.
Why not have the government provide every Canadian or at least every Canadian taxpayer with a rebate of $1 million out of those billions of dollars. It’s a drop in the bucket in their spending.
But the odds of that happening are even less than winning a lottery.
I read, with interest, an editorial submission by general manager of infrastructure Kristen Dixon. She puts much emphasis promoting safety for cyclists in the bike lanes. I don’t think that anyone would question the logic here. I am wondering as to why she makes the comparison of our micro-city to the likes of Vancouver, Toronto, New York, Amsterdam or Copenhagen.
Copenhagen is the No. 1 bike-friendly city in the world. It has a population of 600,000plus. The second-most bike-friendly city is Amsterdam, with a population of 800,000. Copenhagen has a .007407% bike accident/mortality rate for its bike population of 675,000. They only have painted bike lanes. Amsterdam has an annual bike accident/mortality rate of .00122%. It too, has painted lines.
New York City, population 8.4 million and a bike population of 800,000 has a bike accident/fatality rate of .00481%. This too, with painted lines and no barriers.
With reference to bike lane safety on South Main Street, the question needs to be asked, “If major metropolitan cities can function with painted bike lanes and not have incredible safety issues without barriers, why do we need barriers etc. for our bike lanes?”
Several questions come to mind with regards to the proposed changes in bike lanes:
• Projects should be quantifiable to show taxpayer dollars being properly spent. Taxpayers are entitled to know and be involved in.
• What fiscal studies were done regarding this project. Were taxpayers duly informed? • How many studies were done to facilitate emergency vehicles, service negotiating these curbs etc?
• What access and egress studies were done for the Senior Centre, mobile-home parks, the store, condo/townhouse residents, etc?
• Council has put forth infrastructure that is unnecessary based on the accident/fatality ratio on South Main over the past few years. How can things be safer than safe?
Wake up City Hall. It’s time you had a reality check when it comes to spending taxpayer dollars. vehicles